Stock-feeder



UNITED STAT S PATENT ()rrrcE.

' JOHN P. SMITH, OF KAIIOKA, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN DOUGLASS, OF MILLPORT, MISSOURI.

STOCK-FEEDER.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,569, dated November 3, 1896. Application filed October 24, 1895. Serial No. 566,759. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN P. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kahoka, in the county of Clark and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Stock-Feeder, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to stock-feeders, and particularly to a device adapted for feeding poultry, small stock, and the like; and the object in view is to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient apparatus designed to feed grain as it is consumed to prevent waste by scattering the same.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a feeder constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail side view of the adjustable cut-off applied to the neck of the reservoir, the latter being broken away.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawin gs.

1 designates a floor or platform which, in the construction illustrated, is of circular form and is provided with a peripheral upstanding flange or guard 2 to prevent the scattering of grain or feed beyond the space inclosed thereby. \Vithin and concentric with this guard or flange is an inner flange 3, also rising from the floor or platform, and the space inclosed thereby forms a feed trough or receptacle 4.

Erected upon standards 5, which are preferably secured at their lower extremities to the exterior guard or flange 2, is a feed-reservoir 6, arranged centrally above the floor or platform and provided with a removable lid or cover 7 and a depending reduced neck 8, which is concentric with the flanges 2 and 3.

The feed being placed in the reservoir is allowed to pass down through the neck into the feed trough or receptacle, from which it may be removed by the stock, the space between the exterior and interior flanges 2 and 3 forming a waste-receptacle to catch droppings and prevent the scattering of the same 1 beyond the area inclosed by the exterior flange.

In order to regulate the flow of the grain or 5 5 feed from the neck into the feed trough or receptacle, I employ a cylindrical cut-off sleeve 9, fitting snugly upon the cylindrical lower portion of the neck and arranged at its lower edge contiguous to the plane of the floor 6c of the feed trough or receptacle. In order to provide for adjustment of this cut-0d sleeve to suit grain of different kinds or sizes, the neck of the receptacle is provided with alateral stud 10, fitting in an inclined slot 11 in the cut-0E sleeve, and formed in the upper side or edge of this inclined slot in the sleeve is a series of notches 12, either of which is adapted to engage said stud to lock the sleeve in the desired position. Thus when grain of small size, such as wheat, is to be placed in the feeder the sleeve is manipulated to disengage the notch from the stud and is low ered to bring the edge of the sleeve close to the bottom or floor of the feed trough or receptacle, and when larger grain, such as corn or oats, is to be used an upward adjustment of the sleeve is necessary in order to provide more space for the escape thereof. This arrangement is such as to adapt the device for So feeding grain as it is consumed, whereby it cannot flow more rapidly from the reservoir than it is removed from the trough or receptacle.

\Vhile this apparatus is especially adapted for poultry and small stock, it may also be used efficiently for feeding horses and other large stock and will serve to economize materially by preventing the waste of feed which is usually thrown or scratched beyond the walls of the trough or receptacle.

The receptacles formed in the base are preferably provided with small outlet-apertures 13 and 14 to allow the escape of water falling thereinto in the form of rain when the appa' 5 ratus is placed in a position exposed to rain, the conical cover or top serving as a watershed to prevent the entrance of moisture into the reservoir.

Various changes in the form, proportion, mo and the minor details of construction maybe resorted to without departing from the spiritwhat I standing flange, said cylindrical dischargeneck being provided with an oifstanding lateral stud, and a vertically-adj ustable cut-off sleeve slidably mounted on said neck and provided with an inclined slot receiving said stud and having in its upper side a series of catch-notches to adjustably engage with the stud, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as;

my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

\V'itnesses:

R. L. FORD, S. J. MONTGOMERY.

JOHN P. SMITH. 

